Individual differences in food neophobia and private body consciousness influence product-elicited emotional valence and arousal

Abstract

In this study the valence × arousal circumplex-inspired emotion questionnaire (CEQ) was used to assess the valence and arousal components of emotions evoked in response to both tasted and written food and beverages. A total of 6 studies were conducted in the USA and New Zealand with a total of 3657 consumers and 69 stimuli in both central location tests (CLT) and on-line studies. Individuals participating in the studies completed questionnaires to assess the personality traits of food neophobia (FN) and private body consciousness (PBC). Results of these studies showed FN to be associated with negative emotional valence and higher emotional arousal. Confirming previous studies, FN was found to be negatively associated with food liking ratings. PBC was found to be associated with higher emotional arousal. Considering the strong associations between FN, PBC and the two dimensions of core affect, i.e., valence and arousal, the present research confirms the need in future research to employ measures of food emotions that are sensitive to differences in these well established and critical dimensions. As shown in this research, the CEQ is both an efficient and comprehensive method to acquire such data, as well as one that is sensitive to individual differences among respondents in such personality traits as food neophobia and private body consciousness.